Friday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 2/9/2018

Florida’s pot industry on track to hit $1 billion -- but when?

Since Florida voters overwhelmingly legalized medical marijuana in 2016, the state has experienced a green rush but projections for the size of Florida's medical marijuana market vary. Challenges remain for the industry's expansion, for example many municipalities and landlords have given cannabis dispensaries the cold shoulder. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

Florida legislators pass rival $87 billion budgets

With less than a month to work out substantial differences, the Republican-controlled Florida House and Senate on Thursday passed dueling $87 billion budgets for the coming year. While the two chambers propose spending roughly the same, they are not spending the same in key areas, including on environmental programs, public schools and on state universities. [Source: AP]

Opinion: Affordable housing good for Florida business, economy

Fully funding our affordable housing programs is good for all Florida businesses and our economy. Affordable housing generates jobs in home construction, which is a major economic driver in the state. This industry also fosters growth in local businesses when they draw upon and use local resources. [Source: Florida Politics]

Visit Florida predicts hotel boom statewide

According to Visit Florida, the hotel industry is expected to grow by roughly three percent over the next year. The tourism organization says there are 109 hotels under construction across the state. Another 307 are expected to break ground over the next two years. [Source: WCTV]

Russian hackers breached U.S. voter registration rolls, but not in Florida (really?)

Florida, home of the butterfly ballot and long voting lines, can finally claim it's not the nation's worst when it comes to the latest example of Election Day chaos: Russian hackers. Individual supervisors of elections throughout Florida confirmed they weren't hacked. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]